Sony: 3DTV broadcasts in next couple years

As the TV industry prepares for 3D HDTVs, a top engineer at Sony said 3DTV broadcasts may come in the next few years, likely starting as soon as two or three years from now.

According to Peter Lude, Sony senior VP for systems engineering, the need for a type of 3D standards should be worked on by numerous companies, which would help avoid a costly format war.

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"We'd sure hate to see that ... It's costly and slows everything down," Lude said during a recent tech conference.

Along with manufacturers developing new 3DTVs, broadcasters have already started the switch to include 3D broadcasts alongside normal channels and HD.  The British Sky Broadcasting Group recently announced plans for a 3D broadcast channel, but pricing and a launch date haven't been announced.  Several Japanese broadcasters are experimenting with 3D services, but it's unknown how successful those tests have been.

3dtv(1)AMG TV announced plans in April to become the first 3DTV network in the United States, offering a $50 add-on unit that is able to convert a regular HDTV into a 3DTV.

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Besides TV broadcasters, movie studios also have seen a growing demand for 3D technology, with many of you likely noticing a recent increase in the number of 3D movies in theaters.

During recent tech shows I've seen an increase in 3D technology, with TV sets showing 3D sample clips that look much clearer and sharper than just a few years ago.

Furthermore, it'll be even better to be able to sit down in the living room and be able to watch a movie in 3D without the need for 3D glasses.  Lude mentions that despite how silly the glasses may look, it's inevitable they're necessary -- especially with the cost of 3D technology at the moment.  There are few working 3DTV models that don't require glasses, but they are far too expensive for consumers to put in their living rooms at the moment.

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